BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION CODE OF CONDUCT. for officers, committee members and employees

Transcription

1 BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION CODE OF CONDUCT for officers, committee members and employees

2 BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION INTRODUCTION CODE OF CONDUCT 1. Officers, committee members and employees work together as a team in order to achieve the BDA s objectives. Their relations are based on mutual respect and consideration for each other s feelings and opinions. 2. The Nolan Committee defined some public services principles which have been endorsed by the Representative Body and the Executive Board as equally applicable to the work of the Association. All those working for the Association should be guided by these principles as well as by this Code of Conduct. The principles are attached as an Appendix. 3. This Code of Conduct gives guidance on how officers, committee members and employees can work together in the most effective and efficient way. ACCOUNTABILITY AND OPENNESS 4. Members of the Representative Body, Executive Board and committees (including working groups) are ultimately accountable to the members of the Association for the decisions they take and autonomous committee chairmen (1) represent the respective branches of their profession and are accountable to them. Whilst a few decisions must legitimately remain confidential there should generally be an attitude of openness about the work performed by elected members, committee members and employees. PROBITY 5. At all times officers, committee members and employees are expected to uphold the highest standard of honesty and integrity in relation to their work for the Association. 6. From time to time employees or officers may be offered hospitality or gifts in a wide variety of forms. In order to ensure transparency, such hospitality from any commercial company or other organisation should be openly declared and recorded in a BDA hospitality book. (2) 7. Declarations of Interest: officers, committee members and employees should declare any areas of interest at the beginning of meetings in line with the Articles of the Association. Declarations of interest are defined in the Articles of the Association. If there is any doubt about whether something is an interest or not, it should be declared anyway. CABINET RESPONSIBILITY 8. Members elected or appointed to the Representative Body, Executive Board, committees and working groups are expected to stand by the decisions of these bodies. Any member who disagrees with any such decision is not precluded from expressing their views provided that their disagreement was raised at the relevant meeting and they make it clear that they are speaking against a properly made majority decision. Employees are expected to uphold the decisions made by the 2

3 elected bodies and to implement the policies of the Association. WORKING METHODS: CORRESPONDENCE 9. Letters addressed to elected officers or members of committees at the BDA will be opened by employees (unless marked personal or in strictest confidence) in the appropriate directorate. A copy will be sent or given to the addressee with, if appropriate, advice or a draft reply or if more appropriate a discussion will take place on how to proceed. 10. Officers, chairmen and employees should do their best to make it clear to outside bodies and individuals that letters for the attention of those in public office should normally be sent to the BDA and not to private or business addresses. 11. If letters are received by elected officers at private or business addresses they should be sent or copied to the secretariat. 12. Letters or other correspondence from elected officers and chairmen should normally be typed by the secretariat and sent from the BDA office. Where this is not practicable and if a letter is sent from another address a copy should immediately be forwarded to the BDA. It is important, where possible, that officers and chairmen sign their letters, but there will be times when a member of staff may pp the letter in their absence. To encourage the use of signatures from the officer or chairman signatures can be scanned in order to be kept on the computer. Where this is the case the officer or chairman should always agree the letter before it is posted. 13. It is essential that the secretary of a committee is fully conversant with the correspondence, including s, of the chairman and other officers of that committee. It is helpful for the secretary of a committee to see in draft letters that are to be sent by the chairman or other officers to other individuals or bodies. Where this is impracticable copies of correspondence must be sent to the secretary as soon as possible. s should be copied to the relevant members of the secretariat. If there are matters included in the correspondence that appear to be within the remit of another committee then copies must be shown to the secretary of the other committees or to the Chief Executive. 14. Occasionally a chairman may write directly to Ministers and constituency MPs. The draft of any such letters should be checked with the Director of Corporate Affairs and the Chief Executive. A copy of the letter sent should be kept by the Chief Executive s office. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland similar rules apply for letters being sent to Ministers or Members of Parliaments or Assemblies. These should be checked by and subsequently copied to the BDA regional secretary. 15. Correspondence addressed to the Chief Executive is often delegated to the appropriate directorate or individual employee either for a reply on behalf of the Chief Executive or for a draft reply so he can reply directly. Letters should be forwarded to the relevant Directorate or individual within reasonable time (a couple of days) and a reply should be sent out within seven working days from receiving the letter. 16. Letters from officers and members will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. Replies can normally be expected within seven working days of the receipt of the letter (or sooner if it is obviously an urgent matter). A holding reply will be sent if a 3

4 greater delay is expected. MEETINGS: AGENDA, PAPERS 17. The chairman of a committee or working group together with its secretary must discuss the agenda and the papers to be provided in good time before the meeting. It is the secretary s duty to draw the chairman s attention to items that should be discussed at the meeting but the decision as to what to include rests with the chairman. A chairman should not normally refuse to allow onto an agenda business which a secretary brings forward and which the secretary believes the committee needs to consider in order to do its job. Items to be raised by the chairman or by the secretariat should be known in advance by both parties, ie there should be no surprises. 18. Papers written by officers, committee members or employees should be dated and the author s name and position or job title entered at the end of the paper. Where the paper is written by a number of employees within a directorate it can be referred to as a paper from the directorate. The status of the paper, draft, discussion document, etc must be made clear and the author s agreement obtained before it is placed on the agenda for any meeting. 19. Committee papers must be shared between directorates and employees should help ensure that committees that they service are aware of relevant work by other committees. Areas of potential friction should be flagged up to the interested parties so that misunderstandings are avoided. This may require attendance at a committee by a committee member or employee from another area of Association work. It is the responsibility of a committee chairman and secretary to ensure that decisions are taken in the light of all relevant information and expertise. 20. Papers for meetings must be sent out in good time. Ideally they will be received at least seven days before the meeting. Additional late papers may also be sent but they and tabled papers should be kept to a minimum. 21. The secretariat should be aware of meetings arranged between elected officers and outside individuals and bodies. Wherever possible a member of the secretariat should be present. Where this is not possible the elected officers must report the outcome of the meeting in writing or by . Reports of meetings will be filed. 22. Officers and chairmen should also be made aware of meetings taking place between employees and outside bodies/individuals. Where appropriate a note of the meeting should be forwarded to the officer or chairman. MINUTES: ACTION 23. Minutes or notes of all meetings will be taken. This is the responsibility of the secretary of the committee or working group. The detail is a matter of precedent and the individual wishes of the particular committee but at the very least must contain a record of the members present, employees in attendance and the decisions taken. 24. Actions should be identified during the meeting or immediately afterwards by the chairman and the secretary. A note of the actions should be made in writing as a result of the meeting and send to the appropriate individuals. 4

5 25. Draft minutes of the meeting should normally be provided for the chairman by the secretariat within fourteen working days of the meeting. If comments are not received from the chairman within a further seven working days the secretary may circulate the minutes in draft. MEDIA 26. Elected officers should ensure that they reflect current policies of the Association when speaking to the press or in a public meeting. When speaking as a BDA representative they should also be careful not to make gratuitous criticisms of other organisations, companies or individuals. Comments to the media should be well considered and not damage the reputation of the Association, profession or industry. Approaches from the media should normally be discussed with the Director of Corporate Affairs before a statement is made. 27. Media statements are issued by the press office after an approval process involving senior officer(s) and/or senior staff, as appropriate 28. Much business is now conducted by . It is useful for committee members and officers to provide employees with their addresses. Officers, committee members and employees should ensure that all relevant s are copied to the appropriate people to keep them informed. messages can easily be copied and readily shared by large numbers of people in and outside the organisation. Care should be taken when communicating with large groups by that this does not increase the risk of damaging teamwork and undermining the Association s effectiveness. s should always be courteous and particular care should be taken about copying criticisms or negative comments to other people. EXPENSES 29. Elected officers and committee members should be aware of and adhere to the guidance on expenses (available from the Finance Director). Of particular importance is the requirement to obtain the authorisation of the Chief Executive in certain cases. A book noting such requests is kept by the Chief Executive. 30. The secretary of the committee or working group is responsible for ensuring that the claims for attendance and travel are accurate and submitted to the Finance Office as quickly as possible after the meeting. Expenses claims submitted after the meetings should be sent to the committee secretary for approval, not to the finance office. Committee members should ensure that they keep up to date with their expenses claims and receipts should be attached to claim forms. 1) The term Chairman/Chairmen includes Chairperson, chairwoman, chair 2) A record of hospitality and gifts over 100 in a year from one source should be made 5

6 Appendix Public service principles as set out in the Nolan Committee s First Report on Standards in Public Life (1995) SELFLESSNESS holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends; INTEGRITY holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their official duties; OBJECTIVITY holders of public office should be objective in carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for reward and benefits; ACCOUNTABILITY holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office; OPENNESS holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands; HONESTY holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest and LEADERSHIP holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example. 6